Tough and Tender
by noirpancakes
Summary: a collection of Nick and Ellis drabbles inspired by songs, life, and love. drabble no.5 is up. drabbles range from T to M
1. Weekend

****A/N; Man, oh man. I've just recently discovered how obsessed I am with L4D2. And how big of an Ellis fangirl I am. :3 But either way, this is a series of drabbles based off of songs and random stuff. I'll keep adding to it, and I hope to have a collection of 20 short Nick/Ellis drabbles by the end of the summer. The song lyrics that inspired me will be right before each story, along with the song name and artist.

* * *

**"**_Lights out, boys sleepwalking on the weekend._

_..._

_As time goes by, we set the stage_

_We play the parts and act our age."_

**Weekend, The Birthday Massacre**_  
_

_

* * *

_

It was the brunt of the weekend. Time to take the usual rounds, Nick thought. He dug his favorite flawless white suit out of the closet along with the usual blue button up

shirt he usually wore.

He walked into the casino, throwing his car keys to the valet who stumbled to grab them before they hit the carpeted floor.

First rule of winning anything at a casino; Act like it's _your_ stage and everyone is your audiance.

Walking over to the bar, he muttered that he'd enjoy his usual drink, rum with a lime twist, to the bartender.

He glanced over to face the rest of the casino. Nick sighed as he wished that there was more to his life than conning and badassary.


	2. Draw The Line

**"**_Camphor crossed with lace, it is the witching hour_

_Cinematic but crude_

_Teasing all my feelings out, you move away_

_It seems so natural to you_

_..._

_I'm drawing the line, I draw the line_

_And I have my pride _

_..._

_I'm shutting you out, I'm shutting you out_

_And I have no doubt."_

~**Drawing The Line, Porcupine Tree**

_

* * *

_

The rain hit the roof of the ancient mansion with a violent melody.

Ellis sat on the other end of the room, staring at the Witches outside as they screamed into the unanswerable storm.

Everything was going terribly; they were running out of portioned rations, Coach was going on about his hemorrhoids, and Nick was being a complete

ass to Ellis.

He sighed as Rochelle walked over to him and sat down.

"You do know that he's just worried about you right, sweetie? He really does care about you." She said with a wistful sigh.

Ellis awkwardly adjusted his hat as he smirked, "If that's true what you say, then why don't he just tell me that instead a' treatin' me like his ex-wife? I don't even care an'more. I'm done being his leftovers."


	3. Paparazzi

"...

_Leather and jeans_

_Garage glamorous_

_..._

_Promise I'll be kind_

_But I won't stop until that boy is mine_

_..._

_Chase you down until you love me."_

~**Paparazzi, Lady Gaga**

* * *

"Hey Nick, did I ever tell you about the time me n' Keith..." Ellis began to ramble on in his usual manner. A few days ago, Nick may as well have murdered him where he stood for telling another one of those redneck stories. And now the words coming out of his mouth were the last thing on Nick's mind. He noted his simplistic attire, garnished heavily with blood and gore, compared to his own cashmere suit which was stained almost as equally. Sure, they were almost opposites, but Nick would be damned if he was letting Ellis slip through his fingers.


	4. Get Out Alive

_"..._

_Don't put your life in someone's hands_

_They're bound to steal it away_

_Don't hide your mistakes_

_'Cause they'll find you, burn you_

_Then he said_

_If you want to get out alive_

_oh, run for your life_

_..._

_It's hard to imagine but one day,_

_you'll end up like me."_

~**Get Out Alive, Three Days Grace**

_

* * *

_

Nick placed the chips he won that night on the coffee table. He placed his keys neatly next to them as he pulled his blazer off and threw it to the leather couch nearby.

In a light haze, he wandered to the kitchen and opened several cabinets to no avail. He paced toward the fridge and opened it hastily as he reached towards what he was looking for. Sweet vodka. With no other thoughts, he downed the half empty bottle. His ex-wife has been long gone for years, and was probably dead after the apocalypse, leaving him with an empty house and an even emptier life. Everyone he met during his zombie killing spree was long gone, continuing their lives as best they could. Nick, vodka in hand, walked back to the couch. He took his gun that he had been smuggling from his parole officer out of its holster and laid it next to his keys.

Everything he thought he wanted was nothing more than living nightmares to him now. He survived the apocalypse, but to what end? The only person he ever loved was gone too. The biggest mistake of his life was letting that damn hick leave to return to what was left of his hometown. Every fiber in his body burned to ask him to stay, but the words never left Nick's mouth.

"That goofy redneck.." He managed to choke out through a slurred voice, laced with tears.

The vodka bottle in his hand was soon replaced with a warm gun.

And then there was nothing.


	5. This is Only For Now

_"Here I am, gullible, for now_

_..._

_This is only for now_

_But I'm not so sure._

_..._

_The smell of the matches_

_The weight of this floor_

_The way that your hair says_

_"You don't need me anymore.""_

**This is Only For Now, Charlotte Sometimes**

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* * *

_

"Do you even still care for me tha' same that you did when we were killin' zombies together?" Ellis quietly muttered from across the room.

Nick looked up from his iPhone and glanced at Ellis before burying his face back into it. "Sure do. What brings this up, Overalls?"

Ellis's eyes avoided the older man near him. "You sure as hell don't act like it. You act like you don't need me an'more."

Nick sighed and placed his phone on the couch he was sitting on. "...Things are just different now. That apocalypse changed both of us."

"I ain't any different than I was when we first met." Ellis rebutted.

"Then why is it that you wake up screaming every night and I have to reassure you that I'm still here and I'm not being eaten alive by zombies?"

Ellis fumbled with one of the buttons on his flannel shirt. "...Th' doctor called it somethin' like a stress disorder or somethin'.."

Nick's eyes narrowed. "Did you have this problem before we met?"

"No, but I don't remember you bein' this much of a cold ass when _we_ met." Ellis blurted. "What exactly is goin' on with you that you can't tell me about?" He was now staring point blank at Nick, his eyes burning with hurt and tears.

Nick realized that this charade couldn't go on any longer. He stepped over to where Ellis was standing and embraced him tightly. Ellis made no move to hug him back.

"Ellis, I...love someone else."

Without any remorse or hesitation, Ellis shoved Nick off of him as hard as he could. The tears were flowing freely now.

"No, you don't, Nick. Folks like you aren't able to love."


End file.
